Harlem Shambles
“The butchers know how to select and present the best cuts of anything, and they start with healthy, well-treated animals from local farms.”
“I'm not a fan of cornish pasties, i'm a big guy but am wimp when it comes to eating certain things.”
“The staff are knowledgeable and helpful, and they carry meat from local farms that practice sustainable farming with healthy animal husbandry.”
Harlem Shambles
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range Moderate
8 reviews
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If you live in the neighborhood and want to buy fresh meat from a knowledgeable butcher then come here. This is a very clean establishment with great people. Yes, you are going to pay more for your meat than you would at Best Yet but if price is the only factor when you are buying meat then Harlem Shambles is not for you. I really wanted to try some of their meat pies but every time i visit they are sold out. This is definitely my new spot when I want quality cuts, fresh sausage or a hard to find meat. You could definitely shop at whole foods and get the same quality but this is a shop for someone that is local that doesn't want to travel.
I like this place. I kind of dislike that I may be adding to the gentrification of Harlem by continuing to frequent this establishment, but…let's move on.
The place is very clean. The place also has an assortment of things, but they haven't gone too far off on the deep end where they're trying to be a gourdega (gourmet bodega). They have some breads and random other things, but mostly just meat.
Now onto their meat. Truth is I've only had their ground beef and stew beef but both are quite amazing. I made this delicious Korean soup (seaweed soup for all those who are wondering) and the stew beef was AMAJINGGGG. Usually people use a better cut with the seaweed soup but I felt that the stew beef quality was that good.
Yes. It's expensive. But I don't eat meat that often, and that's the premium I'm willing to pay for 1) good meat 2) humanely treated animals and 3) well, trying to feed myself non hormone injected foods. I'm trying to take better care of my body in 2016–no longer young and spritely.
Also. Eggs here are six dollars a dozen. They charge a bit more than Autumn Harvest Farm, where the eggs are from, but once again the premium I am willing to pay for convenience (not going to drive to upstate ny for eggs). I've only had a few other farmers market eggs in nyc (namely, the one near the natural history museum) and I think these are a smidgen better and worth the extra dollar or so I will pay.
I often hesitate to shell out extra money for "organic" or "local" meat unless there is a clear difference in taste. I avoided this place like the plague for the first year of its existence, because I was just not interested in spending that kind of money when I'm perfectly happy with the quality of meat I get from Costco.
This all changed with a recent steak craving. I don't know much about buying a steak to cook at home, so I mistakenly bought the wrong cut from Best Yet Market. I left it in the fridge at home, planning to use it for something else, and decided that since it was just me at home that week, it might be worth it to shell out for something at Harlem Shambles.
I came in after my run, sweaty and gross, and asked one of the guys behind the counter what cut they recommended for a steak. He suggested the Denver cut, and showed me what they had in the case. It was beautifully marbled, and even at $15.99/lb, I figured it might be worth it since it was just me. I *almost* asked for a pound and then remembered that it was just me having steak (although I've certainly knocked out a pound of steak before), so I ended up paying $8 for half a pound of freshly cut steak (they take the whole piece out and slice it right in front of you). I went home and cooked it in a bit of butter, and the quality of this steak with just butter rivals the quality of steak I've had at various steakhouses.
I've come back for the porkchops and the cornish pasties, and they are also excellent.
I still get most of my meat from Costco, but when I need meat for a dish that requires very little seasoning, I get it from here. I'm perfectly happy shelling out the extra cash when the meat tastes this good.
This is the kind of butcher we're used to from Stockholm, Sweden.
It's located in Harlem surrounded by shops of different quality.
We bought "Top sirloin" and a delicious ciabatta.
The meat was great one of the better I've had. I recommend this butcher.
Friendly guys and they know their stuff.
It's not cheap but the quality is excellent.
Minus the ironic 'stash, suspenders, and liberal arts degree… I'm about as hipster as they come. I like pickled vegetables as much as any millennial, composting is something I find value in, and I've never met a third wave cup of coffee I won't pay $4 for (and thoroughly enjoy it). That said, of course I have a fondness for Harlem Shambles' grass fed butchery in the depths of this slowly gentrifying area of Manhattan.
Sadly my bar is set pretty high with 4505 Meats in SF and not even a deep tissue massage from Pat LaFrieda himself could sway me from my blind allegiance to what Ryan Farr does out west. But so far with my first trip to the 116th St. Corridor, this is about as good as I've seen in The City. Grass fed meats from local farms, White Stripes songs streaming while tattooed guys in pork pie hats machete hunks of bovine into oblivion, and good enough prices to justify a 30 minute bus ride on the M2 one way make it worthy of my expendable income. From ground beef to odd looking entrails, they've got you covered.
You really should take value in where your food comes from. For the piece of mind in knowing my dinner didn't spend its life on some wretched farm in the middle of the Bible Belt knee-deep in its own fecal matter while being pumped full of human growth hormone, it's worth every minute on public transportation to ride home with a $38 bag of meat. You may not feel the same way… But hey – to each is own.
The cornish pasties are ridiculously awesome!!!! There's liver in them, too! It's like a pate pastry.
Wish the raw meat was cheaper!
I still remember when Harlem Shambles was a concept, a location near by under construction which would soon unveil a old style butcher shop in the heart of Harlem. More specifically in the revitalized part of Harlem. I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't even go in when they opened. They've probably been around a year plus, still I hadn't gone in. For shame.
This week I finally took the trip. There was an article on edible Manhattan and the pictures were so drool worthy, I had to get up and walk the mere 0.8 miles and get some steaks.
The place is everything I had dreamed of and more. Sausages? Check. Huge butchers block with pig legs from an earlier chop down? Check. Massive steaks, terrines, and cured meat? Triple Check.
I went with some NY Strip Steaks, Beef pastrami and beef cheek terrine. The steaks here are aged about 10 days and are fresh as fresh can be. Are they more expensive or simarly priced to Whole Foods or Fairway? Yes. Are they twice as good? Damn right they are. The pastrami was spicy and delicious. The terrine was something I'd never seen before and also awesome.
The steaks..wow. To do these justice, you should just pan sear them and serve them medium rare. I'd also recommend salting them the night before in the fridge for full flavor. They should have a sign saying you aren't allowed to cook them more than medium rare. It's a crime and ruins these flavorful steaks.
You can bet your bottom rump roast I'll be getting my meat here from now on.
Having such a high-quality butcher shop in this area is a huge treat! I love that this place exists, although I wish I could shop here more…it's just out of my price range unfortunately. The quality is definitely reflected in the prices, which is totally fine since they deserve it for their delicious meats! But it means being a little more careful with what you buy here. I've mostly gotten sausages, but the bacon and steaks both look incredible, and I can't wait to try them. Everyone I've met here, both employees and patrons, have been very friendly. Highly recommend checking it out if you're in the market for a good cut of meat!